Panchkula: School students use bridge made of frail ladder to cross Rajiv Colony nullah

Panchkula, July 24

Having learned no lessons, school-goers continue to cross the nullah that passes between the Budhanpur area and Rajiv Colony in the city with the help of dangerous makeshift bridges made with frail ladders. Only a week ago, a local 10-year-old boy had fallen into the seasonal rivulet from the same site. His body is yet to be recovered.

The site came into limelight a week ago on July 16 when the 10-year-old Simrat while playing in rain at the nullah’s banks allegedly slipped and fell in. He was not the first one to be at the site.

It is a regular affair for the residents of Rajiv Colony. They said they regularly cross-over the nullah in the same way. “This is our usual course. If not this, we would need to take the other long route, which is time-consuming”, a local said.

Akash, a school student from the area, said children play by the side of the nullah and cross-over the site in the same manner on a regular basis. “The seasonal rivulet is not filled with rain-water on a regular basis. The water flows at a slow speed. Therefore, we find it easy to take this short route, rather than the long route to the adjacent bridge to exit the colony”, he said.

Meanwhile, the area also stinks badly due to dumping of daily household and other waste in the nullah. “The site is never cleaned. People dump their household waste in the nullah expecting that it will be washed-away with the water current. This makes the area dirty and smells bad”, a resident quipped.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Yash Garg said he will enquire into the matter.